Sponsors quick to ditch TVXQ!'s U-Know Yunho following alleged offenses

TVXQ!'s U-Kwow Yunho / Courtesy of SM Entertainment

By Park Ji-won

Corporate sponsors are quickly distancing themselves from TVXQ!'s U-Know Yunho after media reported he was caught violating social distancing rules in an illegal escort bar.

Food-delivery app Yogiyo and food maker Ottogi removed the K-pop idol from all advertisements as of Sunday, including YouTube videos and posters. Formerly, when customers launched the food-delivery app, Yunho's image would appear with the company logo.

Yunho had been promoting Yogiyo since November last year, appearing in various campaigns including TV commercials and promotional posters. He was also advertising Ottogi's instant rice bowl or “Cup Bap.”

The move came after a local report claimed Friday that he not only violated social-distancing requirements that were in place since last month, but also spent time with female escorts in the illegally-registered business' premises.

MBC reported Friday that the restaurant where the K-pop star was caught violating social distancing rules was a members-only escort bar falsely registered as a restaurant. The report also claimed that he was in the company of female staff there and tried to flee when police raided the establishment.

Strengthened social-distancing rules were introduced in the middle of February amid a rising number of coronavirus infections forcing restaurants and coffee shops to close at 10 p.m.

Following the report, SM Entertainment rebutted the claims by saying the K-pop star did not do anything wrong except for violating the social distancing regulations.

“U-know Yunho's is at fault for violating social distancing rules. He is also reflecting on his actions. But he did not do anything wrong except for that,” SM Entertainment said in a statement Friday. It also added that the K-pop star went there to talk to a friend who needed advice and there were no female staff there. SM Entertainment also stressed that he did not attempt to run away from police.

In recent months, a number of companies quickly severed ties with stars who were embroiled in controversies, including school bullying allegations, in order to manage potential risks in a market where customers are becoming increasingly vocal on issues of injustice.